A state study says the increase in crude oil shipments by rail is creating new risks and will require increased safety measures and improved oil spill response and prevention.
Even as more trains carry volatile shipments of crude oil into the state, nearly 60 percent of first responders say they don’t have sufficient training or resources to handle a train derailment accompanied by a fire.
The draft report delivered to state lawmakers on Monday makes a dozen key recommendations, including more training for first responders and more railroad inspectors. It also outlines the environmental and safety risks from oil transport.
The study says crude oil shipments went from zero in 2011 to 714 million gallons in 2013, and could reach nearly 3 billion gallons by the end of this year or in 2015.
Topics Energy Oil Gas Washington
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Convicted Insurance Mogul Lindberg Should Pay $1.6B Restitution to Companies 
Toilet Paper Warehouse in California Destroyed by Fire; Employee Arrested 
Trump Approves Disaster Requests for at Least 7 States; Others Wait 
Viewpoint: Why Brokers Have Little to Fear and Everything to Gain From AI 
